Microsoft prepares Windows for 'agentic OS' experience: Check new features

Windows is evolving into an "agentic OS" as Microsoft rolls out system-wide AI agents, enhanced Copilot tools and new capabilities for Copilot Plus PCs

Microsoft is building Windows into what it calls an “agentic OS” — a version of the operating system that brings AI-driven automation directly into system functions, user workflows and developer tools. The shift was announced at Microsoft Ignite, alongside deeper Copilot integrations, on-device AI capabilities for Copilot Plus PCs and infrastructure for running autonomous agents within Windows.

New Copilot and AI features in Windows 11

Multiple new user-facing AI features are being integrated into Windows 11. According to Microsoft’s official blog, these include:

• Voice in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Available now): Users can activate Copilot hands-free with “Hey Copilot” (rolling out to Frontier soon) or via Win + C. It enables real-time, back-and-forth spoken responses across both web and work data.
• Taskbar-level AI agent controls (Coming soon in preview): Long-running agents, such as Researcher, will show status, chain-of-thought logic and progress directly on the taskbar.
• New Ask Copilot composer on the taskbar (Coming soon in preview): Lets users search, ask questions and launch agents directly through the taskbar, including tagging agents using “@”.
• File Explorer Copilot actions (Will roll out by the end of this year): Users can hover over a file in File Explorer Home and ask Copilot for summaries or context.
• Agenda view in Notification Centre (Coming to preview in December 2025): Integrates Calendar to show upcoming events and allow interactions such as joining meetings.

Accessibility improvements

• Fluid dictation for Copilot Plus PCs — available now in preview, using on-device models for faster and more natural voice typing.
• New high-definition Narrator voices using generative AI.
• Narrator personalisation, coming soon in preview, allowing users to customise verbosity and app-specific profiles using natural language.

Free AI features coming to Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Microsoft is bringing Copilot Chat integrations for Microsoft 365 subscribers at no additional cost. According to The Verge, Copilot Chat will soon surface information from an entire Outlook inbox, calendar entries and meeting data — allowing basic inbox triage and meeting preparation without requiring a paid Copilot licence.

 

Microsoft is also rolling out Agent Mode across Office apps for all Microsoft 365 users. The feature enables more advanced, task-driven automation inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other apps. In Excel, Agent Mode can generate complex spreadsheets from a single prompt, with users able to pick between different reasoning models, including Anthropic and OpenAI. In PowerPoint, the feature can update existing decks with branded templates, generate new slides, rewrite or refine text and insert images based on a prompt.

Copilot Plus PC exclusive AI features

According to the Microsoft blog, these features will only run on Copilot Plus PCs:

• Improved Windows semantic search across local and Microsoft 365 cloud files: Rolling out gradually to commercial Microsoft 365 Copilot customers on Copilot Plus PCs.
• Click to Do: Lets users act on onscreen content or convert elements such as tables directly into editable formats.
• Writing Assistance with Microsoft 365 Copilot: Helps craft content with AI-powered rewrite and proofreading. It will be in preview soon and will also be available offline to Copilot Plus PC users.
• Offline email summarisation in Outlook: Rolling out to Copilot Plus PC users at the end of the month.

System-level AI agents and OS-wide intelligence

Microsoft’s broader vision, outlined in its blog, frames Windows as the canvas for AI — embedding intelligence “across system, silicon and hardware”. A central element of this is agent-like functions built directly into the operating system, powered by:

• Microsoft’s Model Context Protocol (MCP): Now in public preview, allowing AI agents to connect securely with apps, files and system tools.
• Agent connectors for File Explorer and Windows Settings: Enabling agents to manage files or adjust device configurations.
• A new Agent workspace: In private preview, giving agents a contained and auditable environment to work in parallel without disrupting the user’s session.
• Windows 365 for Agents: Allowing agents to use a full Cloud PC to browse, process data and automate tasks.